Drawer slide with releasable latch

ABSTRACT

A drawer slide includes first and second telescoping members, a latch having a dog and pivotally connected to the first member and a catch on the second member to receive the dog of the latch in a locking position of the latch. An actuator includes a cam surface and movably coupled to the first member and a cam follower on the latch riding on the cam surface. The cam surface includes a locking position on the cam surface between two unlocking positions on the cam surface for the latch. Thus the latch can be operated in opposed directions.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention relates generally to drawer slides and more specifically to a latch system for a drawer slide.

Drawer slides or release mechanism for a drawer slides latches are well-known. An example is shown in recently issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,685 to Lammens. A latch is remotely operated by a camming or biasing translatable bar. The bar biases or cams a lever out of engagement from a tab, thereby reducing the need for directly adjusting the lever.

Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,541 to Uthoff. The locking device includes one locking element secured to the forward end of the movable member of the guide rail. The locking element includes a spring-elastic actuating arm which is equipped with a locking lug receiving vertical forces. The slidable part of the guide rail is equipped with a second locking lug which receives horizontal forces and can also form part of the locking element.

The present drawer slide includes a release mechanism for a latch which improves over that of the prior art. The release mechanism may be operated by a push or a pull motion, what every motion is naturally ergonomic to the user. Thus the release mechanism can be easily operated during both the extending and retracting movement of the slide.

The present drawer slide includes first and second telescoping members, a latch having a dog pivotally connected to the first member and a catch on the second member to receive the dog of the latch in a locking position of the latch. An actuator is movably coupled to the first member for moving from a locking position to one of two unlocking positions on opposite sides of the locking position. The actuator is coupled to the dog for moving the dog from out of the catch for either direction of movement of the actuator from the actuator's locking position.

The present drawer slide includes first and second telescoping members, a latch having a dog pivotally connected to the first member and a catch on the second member to receive the dog of the latch in a locking position of the latch. An actuator includes a cam surface and movably coupled to the first member and a cam follower on the latch riding on the cam surface. The cam surface includes a locking position on the cam surface between two unlocking positions on the cam surface for the latch.

The drawer slide includes means for biasing the cam to the locking position of the cam surface. The biasing means may include a spring connected between the actuator and the first member. The cam surface may be a slot on the actuator and the cam follower is a pin riding in the slot.

The drawer slide may include a third telescopic member which includes a catch for receiving the dog of the latch in the locking position of the latch. In the locked position of the dog, the dog is received in the catch of the second member in a first telescopic position of the members and in the catch of the second and third members in a second telescopic position of the members.

In an extended telescopic position of the members, the dog may engage a trailing edge of the second and/or third member and prevent movement in a retraced direction of the telescopic members. The dog is stepped shape with an upper portion to be received in the of the second member in a first telescopic position of the members and in the catch of the third member in a second telescopic position of the members and a lower portion to be received in the catch of the second member in a second telescopic position of the members. The member has a generally U-shaped cross-section and the latch pivots about an axis parallel to the bight of the U-shape. The first member may include a stop to receive a leading edge of the actuator.

These and other aspects of the present drawer slide will become apparent from the following detailed description of the method, when considered in conjunction with accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a first perspective view of a drawer slide in its extended position according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the drawer slide of FIG. 1 in a retracted and locked position that with part of two slide members being cut away.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first slide member with the latch and actuator elements according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a first perspective view of the latch and actuator of the previous figures.

FIG. 5 is a second perspective partial view of the latch and actuator from the opposite view of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 a second perspective view of a drawer slide in its extended position from the opposite view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a sequencing lock in an unlocked condition from the opposite view of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Drawer slide 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a first outer slide member 12, a second outer or middle slide member 20 and an inner slide member 30. All of the members 12, 20 and 30 are telescopically arranged to move within one another. All the members 12, 20 and 30 are generally U-shaped having two opposed walls joined by a bight. Although three telescoping members are shown, the drawer slide may only include two telescoping members being members 20 and 30. Member 12 includes a series of apertures 14 to receive fasteners to connect it to one of the drawers or the cabinet for the drawer. As shown in FIG. 3, the inner member 30 includes apertures 34 also to receive fasteners to connect it to the other of the drawer or the cabinet. If only two members are used member 20 would include a similar number of apertures to receive fasteners.

A latch 40 mechanism includes a dog 42 pivotally connected to the member 30 and catches 16 and 26 on members 12 and 20, respectively. An end 46 of the dog 42 is received in catches 16 and 26 as illustrated in FIG. 2 when the catches 16 and 26 are aligned with the end 46 of the dog 42 in a first telescopic position of the members 12, 20 and 30.

In a different telescopic position of members 12, 20 and 30, only the catch 26 of member 20 may be aligned with the end 46 of the dog 42 locking members 20 and 30 to each other.

As shown in detail in FIG. 4, the dog 42 is pivotally connected at 42 to bracket 44. Bracket 44 is mounted by fasteners (not shown) to the member 30, as shown in FIG. 3. The pivotal axis of the dog 42 is parallel to the bight 36 of the U-shaped member 30 having opposed legs 38.

As noted in FIG. 5, the dog 42 is stepped shape and includes two generally vertical surfaces 45 and 47 displaced from each other. The upper surface 45 will engage the surface of the catch 16 and the lower surface 47 will engage the surface of the catch 26 when the dog 42 is aligned therewith. As shown in FIG. 1, the catch 26 is larger than catch 16 to accommodate the lower and upper portions of the dog 42 respectively. When catch 26 is aligned with the dog 42 and they are still covered by member 12, the vertical surface 45 will engage the catch 26.

Whenever member 30 relative to member 20 is in the extended position, upper surface 45 can engage a trailing edge 28 of member 20. This, as shown in FIG. 1, prevents movement of the member 30 with respect to 20 to the retracted position. If the member 30 is pulled out further with respect to member 20 before it is moved back is a retracted position, trailing edge 28 would engage lower surface 47 of the dog 42. With further retracted position of the jointly moving members 20 and 30, the trailing edge 18 of member 12 would intersect upper surface 45 of dog end 46 and thereby preventing any further movement of the members 12, 20 and 30 relative to each other in the retracted position.

An actuator 50 for the dog 42 is slidably mounted on the member 30 and includes a raised pull member 52 and apertures 54. As noted in FIG. 3, the apertures 54 provide access to the apertures 34 in the member 30 for the fasteners. The actuator 50 is a stamped piece having a curvature for comfort.

On an extended portion 56 of the actuator 50 is provided a slot having a cam surface 58. The cam surface includes a locking position 58 a between two unlocking positions 58 b of the cam. The locking position 58 a is flat allowing a range of locking position. The extended portion 56 moves along a recess 45 in the base of bracket 44, as illustrated in detail in FIG. 5. The latch 40 includes a cam follower 48 which rides along the cam surface 58. A spring 41, biases the cam follower 48 to ride on the cam surface 58. Movement of the actuator determines the locking and unlocking positions of the latch 40.

A biasing mechanism 60 illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, is connected between the slide 30 and the actuator 50. The biasing mechanism 60 includes a spring 62 mounted at its ends to the member 30 by posts 64. An arm 57 projecting from the extended portion 56 of the actuator 50 is positioned or connected to the spring 62 between the ends of the spring 62. Biasing mechanism 60 biases latch 40 and the actuator 50 relative to each other such that the cam follower 48 is positioned at the locking position 58 a on cam surface 58. Movement of the actuator 50 in either direction will drive the actuator 50 off the locking position 58 a towards either of the unlocked cam positions 58 b.

It should be noted a flat 49 on the bracket 44 may act as a stop for the movement in one direction of the actuator 50 by engaging the extension 56.

To release the lock of the dog 45 from the trailing end 28 of member 20, the actuator 50 would move to the left in FIG. 1 to drive the cam follower 48 towards the unlocked position 58 b. The actuator 50 may be moved in either direction. As member 30 retracts within member 20, the top of dog end 46 rides on the undersurface of 20 until it reaches catch 26. Biasing mechanism 60 will then bias the dog end 46 of dog 42 up into catch 26 again locking the relative movement of members 20 and 30 relative to each other. Further movement of 20 and 30 as a unit will proceed along until catch 16 is aligned with catch 26 and the dog end 46. At this point the dog end 46 will enter catch 16 locking the three members 12, 20 and 30 relative to each other. To unlock the member 30 with respect to members 20 or 12, the actuator 50 will be moved in either director to lower the dog 42 removing dog end 46 from either or both of the catches 16 and 26. Again, actuator 50 can be moved in either direction relative to the center lock position.

Although it should be noted that 58 a is indicated as the top of the cam 58 and as the locked position, it is obvious from the description that there are more than one positions or the height of the dog end 46 that represents the locked position. The locked position includes cam portion 58 a and adjacent areas of the cam depending upon whether it's engaging one of the leading edges 18 and 28 or one or both of the catches 16 and 26.

By providing the cam follower 48 in a slot which includes a cam surface, a reproducible performance of the latch mechanism is assured.

A sequencing mechanism 70 which sequence the retraction of the members 20 and 30 relative to the member 12 is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. In FIG. 6, the element 20 is locked fixed in the extended position with respect to element 12. Thus the movement of member 30 will take place first before there is any relative movement between members 12 and 20. As is well-known in the industry, the extension sequence may come about by providing a higher friction between members 12 and 20 than between members 20 and 30. This will allow member 30 to be extended first and sequentially bringing member 20 with it.

The sequencing mechanism 70 includes a latch 72 pivotally connected by post 74 to the member 20. The latch 72 includes a pair of hooks 76 which are biased in the up or locking position by spring 78. A bumper element 79 is mounted also by the post 74 and acts as a shock absorber bumper when the member 20 engages rear wall 11 of member 12 in the totally retracted position. The hooks 76 in the raised or locked position engage into apertures 19 in the member 12 as shown in FIG. 1. A release actuator 80 of the sequencing mechanism 70 is attached to movable member 30 by fasteners 82, for example, rivets. As the member 30 moves from its extended position, it engages tongue 73 of the latch 72 camming it down against the spring 78. This retracts the hooks 76 from the apertures 19 and allows members 30 and 20 to move the others relative to member 12.

Although sequencing latch 70 of FIGS. 6 and 7 are shown in combination with the retracted latch mechanism, the retraction latch mechanism may be used without the sequencing latch 70 of FIGS. 6 and 7.

Although the present method has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is done by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The scope of the present method is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims. 

1. A drawer slide comprising: first and second telescoping members; a latch having a dog pivotally connected to the first member and a catch on the second member to receive the dog of the latch in a locking position of the latch; an actuator including a cam surface and movably coupled to the first member; a cam follower on the latch riding on the cam surface; and the cam surface including a locking position on the cam surface between two unlocking positions on the cam surface for the latch.
 2. The drawer slide of claim 1, including means for biasing the cam to the locking position of the cam surface.
 3. The drawer slide of claim 2, wherein the biasing means include a spring connected between the actuator and the first member.
 4. The drawer slide of claim 2, wherein the biasing means include a spring mounted to the first member at opposed ends and the actuator is connected to the spring between the opposed ends.
 5. The drawer slide of claim 1, the cam surface is in a slot on the actuator and the cam follower is a pin riding in the slot.
 6. The drawer slide of claim 1, wherein the catch is an aperture on the second member;
 7. The drawer slide of claim 6, including a third telescopic member which includes an aperture as a catch for receiving the dog of the latch in the locking position of the latch.
 8. The drawer slide of claim 1, including a third telescopic member which includes a catch for receiving the dog of the latch in the locking position of the latch.
 9. The drawer slide of claim 8, wherein in the locked position of the dog, the dog is received in the catch of the second member in a first telescopic position of the members and in the catch of the second and third members in a second telescopic position of the members.
 10. The drawer slide of claim 9, wherein the dog is stepped shape with an upper portion to be received in the of the second member in a first telescopic position of the members and in the catch of the third member in a second telescopic position of the members and a lower portion to be received in the catch of the second member in a second telescopic position of the members.
 11. The drawer slide of claim 8, wherein in an extended telescopic position of the first and second member, the dog engages a trailing edge of the second member and prevents movement in a retraced direction of the telescopic members.
 12. The drawer slide of claim 8, wherein in an extended telescopic position of the first and third member, the dog engages a trailing edge of the third member and prevents movement in a retraced direction of the telescopic members.
 13. The drawer slide of claim 1, wherein in an extended telescopic position of the first and second members, the dog engages a trailing edge of the second member and prevents movement in a retraced direction of the telescopic members.
 14. The drawer slide of claim 1, wherein the dog is stepped shape with an upper portion to be received in the catch and for engaging the trailing edges and a lower portion for engaging the trailing edges only.
 15. The drawer slide of claim 1, wherein the first member has a generally U-shaped cross-section and the latch pivots about an axis parallel to the bight of the U-shape.
 16. The drawer slide of claim 1, wherein the first member includes a stop for receives a leading edge of the actuator.
 17. A drawer slide comprising: first and second telescoping members; a latch having a dog pivotally connected to the first member and a catch on the second member to receive the dog of the latch in a locking position of the latch; an actuator movably coupled to the first member for moving from a locking position to one of two unlocking positions on opposite sides of the locking position; and the actuator is coupled to the dog for moving the dog from out of the catch for either direction of movement of the actuator from the actuator's locking position. 